Angel Crouse

Hey there! My name is Angel Crouse. I am a hairstylist of 17 years. I was born marching to the beat of my own drum. I have always found beauty in the strange and weird. I grew up poor and very quickly, and in no way was that a bad thing. It allowed me a whole mess of creativity and inspiration. I had to learn how to create things with my own hands, and if I couldn't make them I had to work hard to pay for them. A glance at my past...At 14 years old I was in a car accident that left me in a wheelchair for about a year. My best friend was killed in the accident, and I developed a pain pill addiction while trying to heal from the trauma both physically and mentally. Needless to say, life was really brutal at that time. I submerged myself in art and music to help me through and learn to cope in a healthy way. I would pour my soul out onto a canvas or sing along to lyrics that helped me feel like someone else might understand how I felt. It was such an alienating time, but it was crucial to my development. Life is not easy, but the beauty comes from surviving it.Finding my path...At 18 I had to make a decision to find a career. I knew that I needed to be able to support myself but what I chose had to allow me to be my creative, quirky and expressive self. Cosmetology was one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. I found a new kind of passion. Cutting and styling were just different ways for me to sculpt using shears and irons for tools. Haircolor was just a new medium to paint with; hair, a moveable canvas.I fell in love with all things hair, but struggled with finding a place to fit. I have always been a square peg stuck in a round hole. You know where you technically fit, but not entirely. I made the best of what I had, but still craved more...Then along came Pulp Riot!Creative color is so important to me because it allows me to fully immerse myself in what I'm doing and get lost in the process. When I first got my hands on the Pulp Riot Semis it opened up this huge creative outlet, never before had I felt so excited about color. The freedom of knowing that it would actually turn out, not bleed at the sink, or blend together creating unwanted colors, was liberating! Also knowing that I can safely remove the pigments and still leave the hair healthy, it felt like magic. I was so excited when Pulp Riot announced that they were coming out with a permanent line. I have been using Faction8 since it first launched and it reignited my passion for permanent color, having so much creative freedom with a permanent line is incredible. I like the idea of "Once you know the rules, then you can break them!" I love that this company encourages thinking outside the box! Take a chance and put yourself out there...I have had the pleasure over this last year working backstage at hair shows with Pulp Riot assisting artists (mostly Kat!), lending a hand at the booth, helping assist and teach classes at different locations around the country and it has lit a fire in my soul. I even got to be a model on booth, it was awesome. I want to spread the Riot, I want to help educate and inspire other stylists.One of my biggest fears...There may come a day when walking and standing are no longer an option for me. A huge reason why I want to become an educator is that even if I am unable to stand behind the chair, I can still teach people. I can still be a part of this career and community that I love so much. This company has already changed my life in so many ways. To see stylists standing side-by-side not in competition but in support of one another, celebrating with each other over accomplishments and triumphs, it is truly a wonderful thing. I want to do my part in spreading that message to stylists.The Riot Squad...I have never felt so welcome and accepted by other stylists, I was honestly shocked, I cried a few happy tears when I got back to my hotel the first time meeting everyone. Most of the artists are people that I have been following on social media for inspiration, and education for some time, and they just welcomed me right into the fold. It was like I found my tribe, a place where I fit. I love how all of the artists encourage and engage with each other. Asking questions, getting your hands in whatever you can, teaching and learning as much as possible. Pulp Riot has found group of loveable misfits, and linked them all together. I would love to be a part of this eccentric family!